Sherif Marakby sees a team-wide winning attitude as the special ingredient behind Ford’s electrification strategy, beginning with the Ford Transit Connect Electric, which comes to market in late 2010. The small commercial van will be followed by the Ford Focus Electric in 2011 and plug-in and next-generation hybrid electric vehicles in 2012.

“Every day, our Global Electrification team brings enthusiasm, an intense focus and technical precision to our electrified vehicle programs,” said Marakby, who was recently named Ford’s director of Electrification Programs and Engineering. “We’ve had a great amount of momentum coming off the Fusion Hybrid program, which has been a tremendous success.”

The Ford Fusion – America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan – was MOTOR TREND’s 2010 Car of the Year, is among America’s top 10 best-selling vehicles and the No. 1-selling domestic car of 2009.

The core group of engineers behind Ford’s innovative hybrid-electric and all-electric-powered vehicles has been together since development work began on the initial Escape Hybrid SUV, which launched in 2005.

“We’re a pretty tight-knit team – with longevity and camaraderie – and we all work very well together,” Marakby said. “The team strives to be the best and takes great pride in beating the competition, both on the road and on the EPA fuel economy label. They’re bringing the same passion for energy efficiency to the Transit Connect Electric, which won’t use a drop of gas.”

The winning attitude shared by Marakby and his team is clearly evident by the hits in their portfolio. The Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrids are America’s most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly SUVs. The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid delivers a class-leading 41 mpg city and 36 highway.

Over the course of his 20 years with Ford, the most significant change Marakby has observed is the ONE Ford perspective in decision making.

“We now look at every opportunity, and potential solution, from a global viewpoint. The silos have really come down, and goals are shared across teams and disciplines. The results are better vehicles and happier customers,” Marakby said.

Personal Insights and Fun Facts

Unlike many automotive engineers, Marakby didn’t grow up as a car-obsessed enthusiast. His love for cars only surfaced after working at Ford.

Marakby is originally from Cairo, Egypt.

He earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering at the University of Maryland and an MBA at the University of Michigan.

Marakby loves to travel. “My first car – an Escort GT – accumulated over 100,000 miles in four short years,” he said. “Then I gave it to my brother, and he added another 100,000 to the odometer reading.”

Away from the office, Marakby balances his time between vacation travel and a passion for woodworking and soccer.

Sherif and his wife Sherine have been married for 12 years, and have three children, including Omar, Dalia and Adam.

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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 198,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.